Cigar making machines in general, and more particularly an apparatus for applying wrappers to cigar fillers



July 19, 1966 W. PALLACH ET AL CIGAR MAKING MACHINES IN GENERAL, AND MORE PARTICULARLY AN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING WRAPPERS TO CIGAR FILLERS Filed March 9, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1966 w. PALLACH ETAL 3,251,353

CIGARMAKING MACHINES IN GENERAL, AND MORE PARTICULARLY AN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING WRAPPERS T0 CIGAR FILLERS Filed March 9, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5

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g .T/\ m INVENTORS: WALTER PALL W/LL/ TH/ELE B flm Lm 1." f their ATTORNEY MORE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 W. PALLACH ETAL CIGAR MAKING MACHINES IN GENERAL, AND

PARTICULARLY AN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING WRAPPERS TO CIGAR FILLERS July 19, 1966 Filed March 9, 1965 w Lre PALA/KH WIA 1. I TH/EL E M4442 J. fizz- United States Patent 3,261,363 CIGAR MAKING MACHINES IN GENERAL, AND MORE PARTICULARLY AN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING WRAPPERS T0 CIGAR FILLERS Walter Pallach, Hamburg-Bergedorf, and Willi Thiele, Geesthacllt-Tesperhude, Germany, assignors to Hauni Werke Koerber & C0. K.G., Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany Filed Mar. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 438,252 Claims priority, application Ggcrmany, June 1, 1960,

9,57 13 Claims. (Cl. 131-36) This is a continuation-in-part of Serial No. 113,312, filed on May 29, 1961, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to cigar making machines in general, and more particularly to an apparatus for applying wrappers to cigar fillers.

It is an important object of our invention to provide a cigar making machine wherein each of a series of cigar fillers of double unit length may be provided with a pair of wrappers in a single operation and wherein such cigar fillers may be wrapped in a fully automatic way.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel transfer mechanism which may be utilized in .the improved machine to deliver wrappers from separate sources to a single wrapping station.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel gripper which may be utilized in the improved machine to transport cigar fillers and finished cigars of double unit length .to and from the wrapping station in synchronism with operation of the wrapping and transfer mechanisms.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel conveyor which may be used in the improved machine to receive and to transport cigars of double unit length to storage or .to another destination.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a novel control mechanism which may be utilized in our machine to regulate the operation of the gripper in synchronism with the operation of other moving parts so that the fillers may be fed to, wrapped at and removed from the wrapping station in rapid sequence and in a fully automatic way.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel method of transporting wrappers, ciga1 fillers and finished cigars of double unit length in a machine of the above outlined characteristics.

Another object of our invention is to provide a method of applying dual wrappers to double-unit length profiled cigar fillers of the type having a conical portion at each end thereof.

Briefly stated, one feature of our invention resides in the provision of a cigar making machine which comprises a source of double length cigar fillers, two sources of cigar wrappers which are spaced from the source of cigar fillers, a rolling mold arranged to apply pairs of wrappers to consecutive fillers and being spaced from each of the three sources, first and second transfer means for respectively conveying consecutive wrappers from the sources of cigar wrappers to the rolling mold, gripper means arranged -to move between the source of cigar wrappers and .the rolling mold so as to deliver a double length cigar filler while moving toward the rolling mold and to withdraw a wrapped filler while moving away from the mold, and means for operating the gripper means.

The two sources of wrappers are spaced from each 3,261,363 Patented July 19, 1966 other and are preferably disposed in mirror symmetry with reference to a plane which is normal to and passes through the central portions of fillers in the rolling mold.

In accordance with another feature of our invention, the cigar making machine further comprises a conveyor disposed in a plane which is located between the source of cigar fillers and the rolling mold. This conveyor is arranged to receive wrapped cigar fillers from the gripper means while or after the gripper means moves or has been moved away from the rolling mold and back to the source of cigar fillers. The conveyor preferably comprises a chain having an upper stringer which is parallel with the fillers and receives such fillers from the gripper means, and the chain comprises links provided with supporting elements so that such supporting elements may receive wrapped fillers while moving with the upper stringer.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved cigar making machine itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages there-of, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a central vertical section through a cigar making machine which embodies our invention, the gripper head being shown in two different positions one of which is indicated by phantom lines;

FIG. 2 is a similar central vertical sectional view and illustrates the gripper head in a third position immediately following the delivery of a fresh cigar filler into the wrapping station and the removal of a wrapped filler from the rolling mold;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line III-III of FIG. 1 and illustrates two transfer arms which deliver pairs of wrappers to the rolling mold;

FIG. 4 is a similar horizontal section and illustrates the transfer arms in different positions; 7

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the cigar making machine as seen in the direction of arrow V in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line VI-VI of FIG. 3 and illustrates the control cam of the mechanism which operates the movable jaws of the gripper head;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged vertical section through the gripper head substantially as seen in the direction of arrows from the line VIIIVIII of FIG. 9;

FIG. 9 is a horizontal section through the gripper head substantially as seen in the direction of arrows from the line IX-IX of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section as seen in the direction of arrow from the line XX of FIG. 9.

Referring to the drawings, and first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cigar making machine comprises a source of cigar fillers here shown as a magazine 1 containing cigar fillers 2 of double unit length which are to be provided with wrappers to form cigars Z. The magazine 1 differs from magazines of the type used in conventional cigar making machines in that it is wider and is capable of accommodating fillers 2 of double unit length. An inclined discharge chute 3 for the fillers 2 is connected with the bottom part of the magazine 1 and leads the fillers seriatim into the path of a plunger 4 which is operated in synchronism with the remaining parts of the cigar making machine and transfers the lowermost or foremost filler 2 into the range of a gripper head 5. The plunger 4 is movable up and down between a lower end position in which it allows the foremost filler 2 to reach the lowermost end of the chute 3 and an upper end position in which the foremost filler 2 is lifted into the range of the gripper head 5. The manner in which the jaws 511, 12a of the gripper head 5 move the fillers 2 toward a rolling or wrapping station defined by a rolling mold R will be described in connection with FIGS. 6 to 10. While moving with the gripper head 5, a raised filler 2 of double unit length is transferred from the position 2 to the position 2" (see FIG. 1). In this latter position, the filler is located above the rolling mold R which includes a series of forming and wrapping rollers clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. During such travel with the gripper head 5, a raised filler travels in a direction at right angles to its longitudinal extension.

In conventional cigar making machines, a single transfer device is swingable about a fixed axis to move consecutive wrappers to a level above the rolling mold. The transfer device carries at its free end a suction head which receives a wrapper from a suitable source and moves such wrapper into a requisite position above the roller mold. The mold already contains a filler of unit length which is then rolled into the Wrapper prior to being removed by the gripper head.

In such conventional cigar making machines, the fillers are wrapped as follows: A filler is transferred to a level above the mold and is held securely by the gripper head. In the next step, the filler is transferred into the rolling mold after the gripper head 5 has lifted the previously wrapped cigar filler from the rolling mold.

In accordance with our present invention, the cigar making machine is constructed and assembled to apply wrappers to profiled cigar fillers of double unit length. In order'to 'be capable of wrapping such fillers, the improved machine comprises two transfer means in the form of suction arms 9a, 9b having suction heads 11a, 11b, and mounted in mirror symmetry with reference to a plane S-S. The arms 9a, 9b serve to convey wrappers a, 1022 from the sources 15a, 15b in directions respectively indicated by arrows Pa, Pb (FIG. 4) and into positions 10a, 10b (see FIG. 3) above the rolling mold R.

Fillers 2 of double unit length are fed into the rolling mold in response to translatory movement of a reciprocable carriage 6 which moves in the symmetry plane SS. The plane SS is normal to the longitudinal extensions and passes through the central portions of cigar fillers 2 (in the positions 2") at the wrapping station defined by the rolling mold R. This carriage 6 resembles a bar one end of which is provided with a bushing 6a slidable along a guide rod 7 and having a pin 6b which is engaged by the bifurcated end of a rockable lever 8. The other end of the carriage 6 supports the gripper head 5. The movements of the gripper head 5 are calculated in such a way that a filler 2 is transferred from the position 2' to the position 2" above the rolling mold R when the gripper head moves in a direction from the solid line position of FIG. 1 to the position 5" of FIG. 2.

A conveyor in the form of an endless chain K moves beneath the path of the gripper head 5 and is located in a vertical plane between the mold R and magazine 1. Its function is to receive cigars Z of double unit length from the gripper head 5 while the latter moves in a direction from the rolling mold R and back to the magazine 1. The upper stringer of the chain K is normal to the symmetry plane SS and the sources 15a, 15b of wrappers 10a, 10b are disposed in mirror symmetry to each other with reference to this plane.

The links of the chain K have cigar supporting elements E and the upper stringer of this chain is parallel to the longitudinal extensions of the fillers 2. It will be noted that the upper stringer of the chain K moves transversely to the feed direction of the fillers 2. Thus, finished cigars Z which are removed from the rolling mold R first advance sideways and are then deposited in the supporting elements E along the upper stringer of the chain K to advance lengthwise.

The mechanism for operating the movable jaws 12a, 12b of the gripper head 5 is shown in detail in FIGS. 6 to 10. This mechanism comprises a cam shaft 26 which carries a plate cam 28, see FIG. 6. The cam 28 cooper ates with a roller follower 36 which is mounted on a bell crank lever 32 serving to control the movements of pairs of movable jaws 12a, 12b on the gripper head 5 through the intermediary of a link train 34. The shaft 26 is driven by a sprocket wheel 36 which is rotated by a chain 38 (see FIG. 7), and the chain 28 is driven by the main drive of the cigar making machine. Such main drive also operates the arms 9a, 9b and the lever 8, and rotates the rollers of the mold R as well as the sprockets of the chain K. The shaft 26 completes a full revolution during each operating cycle of the machine.

When the cam 28 rotates, the follower 30 causes the lever 32 to rock about a horizontal pivot 31. The lever 32 is biased by a helical spring 40 which causes the follower 30 to track the face of the cam 28. The upwardly extending arm 42 of the lever 32 carries a roller which extends into a forked motion transmitting member 44 mounted on a horizontal shaft 46. The shaft 46 controls the link train 34. As shown in FIG. 7, the link train includes a universal joint 48 which couples the shaft 46 with a Cardanic shaft 50. The shaft 50 is of variable length and may comprise two telescopically connected sections which can move axially but are held against rotation with reference to each other.

The gripper head 5 is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The pairs of movable jaws 12a, 1217 are mounted on shafts 52, 54 which carry levers 56, 58. The levers 56, 58 are provided with adjustable screws 60, 62 located at the opposite sides of a lever 64 which is non-rotatably secured to a shaft 66. The screws 60, 62 enable the operator to regulate the extent to which the jaws 12a, 12b are movable with reference to the fixed jaws 5a, 5b. A pin 68 connects the free end of the lever 64 with a link 70 which is articulately connected with a lever 74 by means of a pin 72. The lever 74 is non-rotatably secured to a shaft 76 which is journalled in the carriage 6. The connection between the shafts 50, 76 comprises a universal joint 78. A spring 53 (see FIGS. 9 and 10) serves to bias the shafts 52, 54 in a sense to move the free ends of the movable jaws 12a, 12b toward fixed jaws 5a, 5b.

The mechanism of FIGS. 6 to 10 operates as follows:

In the position shown in FIG. 8, the jaws 12a have engaged a cigar filler 2 (in the position 2') and press it against the fixed jaws 5a of the gripper head 5. The carriage 6 then performs a stroke in a direction toward the rolling mold R so as to move the filler from the position 2' to the position 2". During such translatory movement of the carriage 6, the cam 28 rotates with the shaft 26 so that the fol-lower 30 comes in engagement with a cam portion 80 shown in FIG. 6. This occurs at the time when the jaws 12b reach the positions 12b shown in FIG. 1 and are ready to engage a finished cigar Z. The link train 34 causes the jaws 12b to press the cigar Z against the fixed jaws 5b of the gripper head 5 as soon as the follower 30 engages the cam portion 80. The carriage 6 continues to move beyond the phantomline position 5 of FIG. 1, and toward the position 5" of FIG. 2 whereby the follower 30 comes in engagement with a second portion 82 of the cam 28. This causes the arm 42 of the lever 32 to change the angular position of the Cardanic shaft 50 and lever 74 so that the lever 64 engages the screw 60 and moves the jaws 12a away from the fixed jaws 5a so that the cigar filler is released and drops intothe mold R (see the positions 2' and 12a in FIG. 2),

In the next stage of the operating cycle, the carriage 6 begins to move back toward the magazine 1. The cam 28 continues to rotate and its portion 84 comes in engage ment with the follower 30 which causes the lever 64 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 8, and moves the jaws 12a toward the fixed jaws 5a so that these jaws engage and hold a fresh cigar filler 2 (in the position 2'). In response to further return movement of the carriage 6, the follower 30 is engaged by the cam portion 86 and causes the jaws 12b to move away from the fixed jaws 512 so that the cigar Z drops into the aligned supporting elements E on the upper stringer of the chain K.

The next cycle begins as soon as the carriage 6 starts to move from the solid-line position to the phantom-line position 6 of FIG. 1. The manner in which the rollers of the mold R convolute the wrappers 10a, 1% around a cigar filler (in the position 2") is known and forms no part of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of our contribution to the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cigar making machine, in combination, a source of double length cigar fillers; a first and a second source of cigar wrappers, said last named sources being spaced from said first named source; a rolling mold arranged to apply pairs of wrappers to consecutive fillers, said rolling mold being spaced from each of said sources; first and second transfer means for respectively conveying consecutive wrappers from said first and second sources to said rolling mold; a gripper arrangement including carriage means carrying gripper means reciprocably between said first named source and said rolling mold so as to deliver a double length filler while moving toward said mold and to withdraw a wrapped filler while moving away from said mold; and means for operating said gripper arrangement.

2. In a cigar making machine, in combination, a source of double length cigar fillers; a first and a second source of cigar wrappers, said last named sources being spaced from said first named source; a rolling mold arranged to apply pairs of wrappers to consecutive fillers, said rolling mold being spaced from each of said sources; first and second transfer means for respectively conveying consecutive wrappers from said first and second sources to said rolling mold; a gripper arrangement including carriage means carrying gripper means reciprocably between said first named source and said rolling mold so as to deliver a double length filler while moving toward said mold and to withdraw a wrapper filler while moving away from said mold; and means for operating said gripper arrangement so that each filler moves in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal extensive thereof during movement to said rolling mold, said sources of wrappers being spaced from each other and being disposed in mirror symmetry with reference to a plane which is perpendicular to and passes through the central portions of fillers in said rolling mold.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein said source of fillers comprises a magazine in which the fillers are parallel to and aligned with the fillers in said rolling mold.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein said operating means includes means for reciprocating the carriage in directions at right angles to the longitudinal extensions of the fillers.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of said transfer means comprises an arm arranged to pivot about a fixed axis between a first position above the respective source of wrappers and a second position above the rolling mold.

6. In a cigar making machine, in combination, a source of double length cigar fillers; a first and a second source of cigar wrappers, said last named sources being spaced from said first named source; a rolling mold arranged to apply pairs of wrappers to consecutive fillers, said rolling mold being spaced from each of said sources; first and second transfer means for respectively conveying consecutive wrappers from said first and second sources to said rolling mold; a gripper arrangement including carriage means carrying gripper means reciprocably between said first uamed source and said rolling mold so as to deliver a double length filler while moving toward said rolling mold and to withdraw a Wrapped filler While moving away from said rolling mold; means for operating said gripper arrangement so that each filler remains parallel to itself and moves in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal extension thereof during movement to said rolling mold, said sources of wrappers being spaced from each other and being disposed in mirror symmetry with reference to a plane which is perpendicular to and passes through the central portions of fillers in said rolling mold; and a conveyor disposed between said source of fillers and said rolling mold, said conveyor being arranged to receive wrapped fillers from said gripper means while the gripper means moves from said rolling mold to said source of fillers.

7. A combination as set fort-h in claim 6, wherein said conveyor means comprises a chain having an upper stringer which is parallel with the fillers and which receives wrapped fillers from said gripper means to transport the fillers lengthwise.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 7, wherein said chain comprises links provided with filler supporting means thereon so that such supporting means may receive wrapper fillers while moving with said upper stringer.

9. In a cigar making machine, in combination, a source of double length cigar fillers; a first and a second source of cigar wrappers, said last named sources being spaced from said first named source; a rolling mold arranged to apply pairs of wrappers to consecutive fillers, said rolling mold being spaced from each of said sources; first and second transfer means for respectively conveying consecutive wrappers from said first and second sources to said rolling mold; a gripper arrangement including carriage means carrying gripper means reciprocably between said first named source and said rolling mold so as to deliver a double length filler while moving toward said mold and to withdraw a wrapped filler while moving away from said mold, said gripper means comprising a head provided with cooperating fixed and movable filler-retaining jaws; and means for operating said movable jaws.

10. A structure as set forth in claim 9, wherein said operating means comprises a rotary cam, follower means arranged to track said cam, and an operative connection between said follower means and said movable jaws.

11. A structure as recited in claim 10, wherein said operative connection comprises at least one universal joint.

12. A structure as set forth in claim 10, wherein said operative connection comprises a link train and further comprising resilient means for biasing each of said movable jaws toward the respective fixed jaw.

13. A structure as set forth in claim 9, further comprising means for adjusting the extent of movement of said movable jaws with reference to said fixed jaws.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Marsh 131-65 Schussler 13132 Rober et a1 13138 Wheeler 131-38 Giles 13133 Neumair 131-38 Clausen et a1. 13136 8 FOREIGN PATENTS 11/ 1951 Australia.

3/1961 France.

10/ 1924 Germany. 2/ 1932 Germany. 3/ 1953 Netherlands.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

H. P. DEELEY, IR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CIGAR MAKING MACHINE, IN COMBINATION, A SOURCE OF DOUBLE LENGTH CIGAR FILLERS; A FIRST AND A SECOND SOURCE OF CIGAR WRAPPERS, SAID LAST NAMED SOURCES BEING SPACED FROM SAID FIRST NAMED SOURCE; A ROLLING MOLD ARRANGED TO APPLY PAIRS OF WRAPPERS TO CONSECUTIVE FILLERS, SAID ROLLING MOLD BEING SPACED FROM EACH OF AID SOURCES; FIRST AND SECOND TRANSFER MEANS FOR RESPECTIVELY CONVEYING CONSECUTIVE WRAPPERS, FROM SAID FIRST AND SECOND SOURCES TO SAID ROLLING MOLD; A GRIPPER ARRANGEMENT INCLUDING CAR- 